Spring.



F. F. HOEFFLE.

SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. 1915.

Patented 0%. 26, 1915.

ltti

rain r. HOEFFLE, or LouIsvLLLn, KENTUCKY.

. SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Met. 26, 1915.

Application filed April 1, 1915. Serial No. 18,432.

To all whom'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK F. HOEFFLE, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefierson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Springs, of which the following specification is a full disclosure.

My invention relates to elliptic springs,

"and in the means for unitarily combining the sections or halves adapt-ing its use to that class of heavy elliptic springs asemployed in railway cars sustaining heavy loads under severe service.

An object of the invention is to construct the means for joining the adjacent ends of the semi-elliptic sections or. halves as an intermediary to relatively, separately and independently supportingly seat the ends of the sectionsagainst longitudinal or lateral displacement or relative disalinement and free to swivel.

Another object of the invention relates to seatingly interlocking and joining the adjacent ends of opposing elliptic spring sections to a tie-block or bearing member, providing a relatively independent fulcrum for each spring end and the tie-block alterfulcrumly anchor adjacent knuckle extremities of the spring plates, and a ledge extension axially intermediately beyond the sockets to support the spring extremities and longitudinally confine the sections un- 'der a compressed condition of the spring.

The arrangement of plate lengths are such that a plural superimposed number thereof bear upon the ledge to reinforce the main plate of each section under heavy loads and severe service relieving the-swivel spring extremities of such burdens.

Further objects and features relate to the details of construction, directed to increase the durability and efliciency of the spring and such other advantages, as will be more full disclosed in the following description of t e drawings, and in such drawings like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, of which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a double set spring constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof in a relaxed position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the spring in a compressed position.

The drawings illustrate a double set spring as a unit, the number of sets may be varied to meet the requirements without change to the aspects of the invention. Each set comprises the upper and lower semielliptic halves or sections 1', 2, each composed of a built up superimposed overlapping series of leaves or plates 3, 4, 5, etc., centrally united by a collar or strap 6. Of a section series, 3 indicates the main plate with blunt ends. 4 a second plate having its ends projected beyond the ends of the main plate, each end terminating in the circular or eye-bends 7. The'third plate 5 corresponds approximately with the main plate 3, the three combining to reinforce the ends of the spring to control the motion and stability of the spring under hard service. This construction is duplicated for each end of the half-sections, either upper or lower. The ends of the sections are united to a tie or bearing-block 8 having the upper and lower concave seats 99 as fulcrum and retaining sockets, to respectively receive the circular or bowed second plate ends 7 of the sections. The seats each terminate with a tangential abutment, represented as the ribs or flange 10, 10, oppositely projecting from the bearing tie-block 8. At the longitudinal ends of the seats laterally extended walls 11, 11, are provided integral with the bearing-block for transversely confining the spring ends. The concave seats as fulcrums for the spring sections may be of any radius or depth desired, and as they are engaged by the outer periphery of the loop or eye of the spring ends, they provide an increased circumferential area of support free to swivel with the compression and relaxing motions of the spring.

A ledge 12 projects from each bearing tie-block toward the center of the spring providing opposite bearing surfaces for the main plates of the upper and lower spring sections respectively. Each of said surfaces,

toward the seat ends respectively terminates with a longitudinal shoulder or abutment 13, adapted to be engaged by the ends of the main plate, to confine the longitudinal movement upon the ledge surface of the bearing tie-blocks a compressed position of the spring, and in such instances the ledge provides thev main seat base. This ledge qualifies somewhat as a lever in any difierential motion relatively between the spring sections to shift the bearingblock in a swiveling action upon the loop ends of the secondplates. Thus the connectingpont ons automatically accommodate an adjust themselves. to their yielding movements, properly distributing the strains, so that one will not pull or tend to unseat the other, all directing to maintain their alinement,

and all proportionally assume and assist the main plates to carry the load. The second plates with the aid of their looped ends regulate the motion, and the main plates resting upon the'ledge of the bearing block stabilize the motion, while the third plate gives support to the main and second plates conjointly reinforcing the support. The mainplate is relieved of assuming the entire" wear and strain, and the looped ends of the'second plates primarily servlngto swivel the sections and retain the members in position, relieved of sustaining strains under heavy compression of the spring. The support for the main plate increases with the increase of the weight applied to the spring, thus the spring becomes stronger under load, and under full compression, as

illustrated in Fig. 3, it will be observed that the plates 3, 4, and 5, as a reinforced unit,

are-sustained upon the ledge 12.

The spring sets ,or sections are combined as aunit by the pins 15, 15, passing respectively through the enlarged apertures 16 in the walls 11 and engage longitudinally with the eyes or loops of the second spring plate. The pins merely serve as binders and are not utilized as supports, but auxiliarly may qualify-in such capacity. They combine the sections and sets in one complete unit as a factor for safety, strapping the members of the unit against unseatmg or displacement, also combining the parts as an article of manufacture, offering-many advantages in menses 3. An elliptic spring composed of opposing manifold plate sections, each section having a main plate and a second plate'lon2=- gitudinally overlapping said main plate, and

a bearing member intervening the adjacent ends of said sections having arecessed and plane hearing I sur ace progressively arranged on each of the o posite sides of said member, said recesse bearing surfaces adapted to rela-tively receive and confine the extremities of the secondplate and provide a fulcrum therefor.

4. A spring end support comprising a member having upon each of its 0 posite sides adj acently arran d recessed an plane seat surfaces, adapte to independently respectively fulcrumly anchor and support relatively adjacent spring extremities.

5. A spring end support comprising a member having oppositely arranged sockets and plane seat surfaces to independently fulcrumly anchor and support respectively different members relatively to each section of adjacent elliptic spring extremities.

6. An elliptic spring composed of opposing sections, each section comprising superimposed plates, one thereof having rounded I extremities, a coupling member for the adjacent spring extremities having oppositely arranged sockets for respectively anchoring said rounded plate extremities to swivel and confine said sections. j

j 7 An elliptic spring composed of opposing sections, each section comprisin superimposed'diflerent plates, one thereo having extended rounded extremities, a coupling member for theadjacent spring extremities,

having a ledge extension to supportingly receive sa1d extremities, andsockets upon 0 posite sides-of said members to respective y anchor said rounded plate extremities as a swivel and confining support for said spring sections. a

8. An elliptic spring composed of opposing sections, each section comprising superimposed difl'erent plates, one thereof having member for the adjacent spring extremities, having a ledge extension to supportingly receive said'extremities, and sockets upon 0 posite sides of said members to respective y anchor-said rounded plate extremities as a swivel and confining support for said spring sections, and means for unitarily comblmng said parts.

9. A spring end support comprising a member socketed upon opposite sides to independently fulcrum and confine the adjacent spring extremities, and said member provided-with a ledge extension axially intermediatelybeyond said sockets to support the adjacent spring extremities. v

10. A spring end support comprising a member socketed upon op osite sides to inextended rounded extremities, a coupling dependently fulcrum an confine the ad- 1,157, sea

adjacent spring extremities, and means for unitarily connecting the spring extremities to-said member.

11. An elliptic spring composed of opposing manifold plate sections, one plate of each section provided with curved extremities and an end supporting member, socketed upon opposite sides to independently fulcrum and confiningly receive the curved extremities of adjacent spring section, said member provided vwith a ledge extension axially intermediately beyond said sockets to support the adjacent spring extremities.

12. An elliptic spring composed of opposing manifold plate sections, one plate of each section provided with curved extremities and an end supporting member, socketed upon opposite sides to independently fulcrum and confiningly receive the curved extremities of adjacent spring section, said member provided with a ledge extension axially intermediately beyond said sockets to support the adjacent spring extremities, and means for unitarily combining said parts.

13. An elliptic spring composed of opposing manifold plate sections, a plate of each section having knuckle extremities and an end supporting member socketed upon opposite sides to independently fulcrumly anchor said knuckle extremities of adjacent spring sections, said member provided with a ledge extension axially intermediately beyond said sockets to support the adjacent spring extremities, and shoulders intervening said sockets and ledge surface to longitudinally confine said spring sections.

14:. An elliptic spring composed of opposing manifold plate sections, a plate of each section having knuckle extremities and an end supporting member socketed upon opposite sides to independently fulcrumly anchor said knuckle extremities of adjacent spring sections, said member provided with a ledge extension axially intermediately beyond said sockets to support the adjacent spring extremities, and shoulders intervening said sockets and ledge surface to longitudinally confine said spring sections, and means for unitarily combining said parts.

In. witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested by the two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK F. HOEFFLE. Witnesses:= V

J. ALBERTKRIEGER, JosEPH GRoonns. 

